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Italian texts of the Bible were rare before the fifteenth century, perhaps because Latin was less alien in Italy than in northern Europe. This Bible was translated by Niccolò Malermi (c. 1420-1481), a Camaldolese monk. The printed book includes numerous woodcut illustrations of the narrative, as well as embellished capitals.

For more information see the catalogue entry for this holding.

 

Biblia [Italian]. Imprint: Venice: Giovanni Ragazzo, for Lucantonio Giunta, 15 Oct. 1490. Folio. Collation: Part I: a–x 8y 10aa–dd 8ee 6; part II: AA–PP A–L 8M 6. Illustrations: Woodcut illustrations. Binding: 19th-century English gold-tooled calf; marbled pastedowns and gilt-edged leaves. Bound by ‘Lewis', presumably Charles Lewis (1786-1836), for Henry Drury; named in Drury's ownership inscription. Provenance: Henry Joseph Thomas Drury (1778-1841), 1818. Bequeathed in 1834.